The Express
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: In this trilogy, see the Express in action! Gordon makes a foolish mistake of going too fast. Thomas, Percy, and Duck make an unexpected triumph, and an unexpected visitor comes to Sodor to pull the Express. Billy is suspicious of this visitor and the visitor has to gain his trust.
1. Gordon and the Sharp Bend

Gordon is proud of going super fast. He says he's the fastest engine on Sodor, but the engines get really sick of it. Gordon boasts every single morning before work.

"I'm the fastest engine on this railway! I wonder where this railway would be if I had never come! After all, I am the best." he boasted in the shed.

"it'd probably be a lot more quiet," grunted Duck and the other engines laughed, except for Gordon.

"Hmph! You underestimate the power of an express engine, Duck! One day, you'll see how good I am!" and he bustled away to take the morning express. Duck decided not to bother.

'It's not worth my time," he thought and set off for the Little Western to work with Oliver.

When Gordon arrived at Tidmouth, he was surprised to find Rosie shunting Hank's slow goods.

"Why aren't you shunting _my _coaches?" he fumed crossly. Rosie looked over and saw the pompous engine.

"Oh, Hank's train is to leave first. Besides, the Fat Controller told me that you need to shunt your own coaches, and I agree." and she went on shunting Hank's train. Gordon groaned and set to work, shunting his own coaches.

"Shunting is undignified! It's disgraceful!" he grumbled as he finished. Hank puffed into the station.

"Shunting isn't that bad, Gordon. In America, we always had to shunt our own coaches," he said. Gordon glared.

"Well, this isn't America! Here on Sodor, shunting is for tank engines to do! Tender engines don't shunt!" he fumed as the shunter coupled him up to the coaches. He waited as the passengers boarded the train.

After a few minutes of checking the train, the guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag. Gordon set off triumphantly.

"Be careful at Knapford Bend! It's a quick turn, and you may want to slow down!" called Hank. Gordon snorted.

"I can go well on bends..." he muttered as he gained speed, "That Hank doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm Gordon! The fastest and best!"

As Gordon thundered out into the countryside, he began to enjoy himself. He devised a plan to surprise Duck; he knew the Great Western Engine was at Knapford.

"I'll just race through the station and surprise that little quacker." The driver saw a sign up ahead.

"Speed Limit: Eighty Miles Per Hour." he read. He checked the speed gauge and he saw that Gordon was over the speed limit. He was worried.

"We shouldn't be going this fast." he said to the fireman and he put on the brakes slightly. Gordon was cross.

"Poo! I can get on top speed! I don't go slow!"

"80 miles per hour isn't slow! It's permitted on highways!" replied the driver, but Gordon didn't listen. He raced through Knapford and he whistled loudly at Duck.

"Can't go fast, huh?" he laughed as he approached Knapford Bend. He disappeared out of a sight with a shrill peep of his whistle

"He'll be in trouble soon..." muttered Duck to himself, and he was right.

Knapford Bend is a tight bend and curves quickly to the right beyond the station. This is why trains often have to slow down here. Gordon got a good run at it.

But then there was trouble. He was going so fast that he couldn't take the curve. He flew off the rails and fell on his side in a pile of grass that lay alongside the line.

"Bother..." groaned Gordon. The driver and fireman were very cross.

"You clumsy great engine!" bellowed the driver, "You should've known better than this!"

"Yes, i know..." sighed Gordon.

"The Fat Controller won't be happy when he hears of this!" added the fireman as the driver checked along the train for any injuries.

As he checked, he went inside each coach and asked, "Is everybody ok?" Luckily, there were only minor bruises, nothing serious.

Gordon's accident could be viewed from Knapford. Because of this, The Fat Controller had seen everything from his office. He wasn't happy as he got his top hat and walked out of his office. He slammed the door behind him and strolled over to Duck, who was taking on water.

"Ugh... Duck, find Rosie. When you do, go fetch Rocky from the goods shed. We need to put Gordon back onto the tracks. I want to have a word with him..."

"Yes, sir!" replied Duck and set off for Tidmouth to find Rosie. He chuckled as entered the countryside. "Poor old galloping sausage..." he chuckled.

Duck found Rosie at Tidmouth shunting Neville's train.

"Come on, Rosie! We've got to collect Rocky from that goods shed. Gordon's in trouble."

"I would've guessed." said Rosie and she puffed onto Rocky's siding. "You push, I'll pull." she said.

"Works for me," replied Duck and the two set off to rescue Gordon.

Meanwhile, Gordon was grumbling as the Fat Controller was scolding him.

"You could've injured a lot of people, Gordon. I hope you learned your lesson about speed."

"Yes, sir. Sorry sir." spluttered Gordon. Duck chuckled as they brought Rocky.

"You're right, Gordon. You may be fast, but being fast led to this!" Gordon said nothing as Rocky lifted Gordon's tender and put it on a flatbed. He repeated this with Gordon himself.

"Oh, the indignity..." grunted Gordon as he was flatbed.

"You'll have to go to the Steamworks, Gordon. And while you're away, I'll need another engine to pull the express..." said the Fat Controller. Gordon groaned once more. The Fat Controller took out his cell phone and dialed Wellsworth Yards. "Yes, this is Sir Topham. I need an engine to collect Gordon. Edward's available? Good. Send him over." and the Fat Controller hang up.

"Edward's coming to take you to the Steamworks, Gordon." he told the blue engine. Gordon was more embarrassed than ever; not only was he silly in front of Duck, but not Edward was going to see him in disgrace.

Edward arrived in half an hour and coupled up to Gordon's flatbed.

"Be more careful next time, Gordon!" he said wisely and he set off.

"But who, sir? James has been stuck on goods duties ever since the billboard incident, Henry has to take stopping trains, and Bear's got enough work to do helping with the last of Ulfstead Castle." said Duck.

"I think I've got an idea... Perhaps we can borrow another engine from somewhere."

"But where?" asked Rosie, but the Fat Controller had already left, leaving the engines in suspense.


	2. Triple Header

**Author's note: Ok, this is an adaptation of the RWS story, "Triple Header."**

The Fat Controller searched for a spare engine; ever since Gordon's accident, there was debate on who would pull the special train. He tried the Other Railway, but there wasn't much luck there. Then he got an idea.

"Perhaps I can call other countries to see... Perhaps a heritage railway in Japan." he said to himself.

He dialed up a Japanese Railway to check if there was any strong, big tender engines that could pull an express.

"Yes. Will he be here soon? Oh, not until tomorrow. Uh, yes I'll find another engine to pull the express today..." He hung up, worried. "Who will pull today's Express?"

As he was wondering who could take the Wild nor Western, the inspector came in.

"Ah, inspector! Are there any spare engines?" asked the Fat Controller hopefully.

"Sorry sir, but we have no spare engines except for Thomas, and he can't manage alone." the inspector said. The Fat Controller pondered the situation.

"Could Percy help? I could give his mail duties to Billy and his quarry duties to Toby." The inspector shook his head.

"They're not strong enough. The two of them with Duck might be able to manage, but who would run his branch?" The Fat Controller chuckled.

"Need I remind you that Donald, Douglas, and Oliver run it too?" The inspector nodded thoughtfully.

"Indeed, I forgot. Luckily, it's only as far as Crovan's Gate. After that, a spare engine could take the train."

And so it was arranged. First, the Fat Controller phoned Arlesburgh Sheds and told the yardmaster to send Duck to Ffarquhar. The yardmaster got the message and hurried to Callan Station, where Duck was talking to Oliver.

"Duck! The Fat Controller wants you at Ffarquhar!" called the yardmaster.

Duck and Oliver were confused.

"Why?" asked Duck.

"I don't know. He didn't say anything about it. You best go now though."

"Right!" added Oliver and Duck set off.

"That's odd..." thought Duck as he puffed along, "I haven't been to Ffarquhar for years!"

An hour, Duck arrived at Ffarquhar Sheds, to find Thomas and Percy in the shed looking curious..

"Did the Fat Controller talk to you, too?" he asked.

"Yes, he told us to wait here. But why?" asked Percy.

"We're about to find out. Here comes his car." pointed out Thomas.

Indeed it was the Fat Controller. As he stepped out of his car, he looked serious.

"Sir, why am I here? Shouldn't I be on my branchline?" asked Duck. The Fat Controller sighed.

"Not today. The Scots and Oliver can manage. Instead, you'll be pulling the Express, Duck. All three of you. Hopefully, this will get me out of my predicament."

"Us? Pull the express?!" spluttered Thomas, "Sir, I don't think we can do it."

"Nonsense. I'm sure we can do it." snapped Percy.

"Are you crazy Percy? Why do you think only Main Line Engines pull the train? It's way too heavy for tank engines like us to pull." retorted Duck.

"No worries. This is only for one day until the spare engine arrives tomorrow." the Fat Controller said. Thomas, Percy and Duck looked at each other curiously.

"What spare engine?" asked Duck. The Fat Controller smiled.

"Trust me, you won't be dissapointed." and he walked away.

At Tidmouth later that day, the three tank engines were coupled up together to pull the heavy coaches. Thomas near the train, Duck in the middle, and Percy at the front. The guard blew his whistle and climbed aboard. Slowly, they started, wheelturn by wheelturn.

"Come on! Come on!" fussed Percy importantly.

"We're doing it! We're doing it!" puffed Duck.

"Pull harder! Pull harder!" grumbled Thomas.

The heavy train drew out of the platform and out into the countryside. The engines couldn't go as fast as Gordon, but the passengers didn't mind; they knew that Gordon was being taught a lesson

But the tank engines weren't used to pulling the Express, except for Thomas, but the train had gotten heavier since he had last pulled it. The engines didn't get a chance to get their breath back, so they soon began to feel tired.

As they approached Gordon's Hill, the strain was too much for poor Percy; he felt his ejector failing.

"I have to stop... I have to stop..." he panted.

"Oh dear... I have stopped!" Percy cried. The driver blew his whistle and they stopped the train.

"What is it?" asked the guard, who had come up from the brake coach.

"Percy's brakes have jammed on. Must be his ejector." replied the driver. He turned to Percy. "We can't take you off the train, so we must make the best of it. Just try and keep your brakes off. It's not far now."

Percy was too tired to reply.

"Gordon will never hear the end of this," thought Duck worriedly as they struggled to get the train moving.

Percy not being able to help made it harder for the other two, but they struggled on.

"We're nearly there... We're nearly there..." panted the two engines.

At first, things seemed to go alright for the rest of the way. They raced through Kellsthorpe Road and were soon nearing Crovan's Gate.

"Hurrah! Hurrah!" cheered the engines happily. But then came more trouble.

As they were passing the Steamworks, Duck found he could go no further.

"Too... tired..." he panted.

Thomas couldn't pull the heavy train and the caravan on his own, so they stopped a few yards from the station platform.

"We failed!" cried Thomas.

The Fat Controller walked up to them; he had been on the train and saw everything.

"You did very well to get so far, and I'm proud of you three. But it seems best that you rest your wheels. The spare engine will arrive tomorrow morning at Brendam Docks."

"Thank you, sir..." groaned Percy.

The three of them were uncoupled and the Works Diesel took the train the rest of the way.

As Duck went to the water tower, he heard a familiar laughing.

"Gordon!" he groaned, and there he was on a siding, chuckling.

Some workmen were currently fixing his lamp, with Kevin helping lift and load the parts needed to fix him. Gordon smiled and winked at the Great Western Engine; he didn't need to say anything, Duck knew exactly what he meant.


	3. Hiro and the Express

It was two days after Gordon's accident, and Cranky was busy loading ships at Brendam. He was waiting to see the visitor come to Sodor; today was the day the visitor was supposed to come.

Just then, Neville puffed in with a train of metal when he heard a ship's horn.

"Who's that?" he wondered aloud.

"It's the boat the visitor's on. What did you think it was?" grumped Cranky. Neville looked out to sea and saw a black engine onboard.

"I thought it was just a boat full of goods," replied Neville. Just then, the Fat Controller drove up in his car.

"Ah, Neville. I'm glad to see that you will be able to meet the visitor." he said as the boat docked at the port. The engine smiled warmly at Neville.

"Hello," he said. Nevile smiled back and read the engine's nameplate.

"You're 'Hiro', right?" he asked. Hiro chuckled.

"Yes, I am. If you don't mind, could you get me off this boat?" Neville smiled.

"Of course," the black engine replied. He puffed onto Hiro's line and pulled him onto the Island. Salty noticed and rolled over to where the two engines were chatting.

"Ahoy matey! So our storm is over, I suppose? Hello, Hiro. Nice to see ya back here on Sodor." the Diesel said warmly.

"Yes Salty, it is nice to be back again," replied Hiro. He then looked to the Fat Controller. "So what do I do sir?"

"You are to pull the Express, Hiro. I've heard about your Japanese Express that you pulled when you were 'Master of the Railway,'" Hiro thought back to days long ago. He could remember all the details; the wind rushing past his funnel and his fast speed.

"I'll be happy to do that sir."

"Good." and the Fat Controller drove off.

Hiro whistled goodbye to Salty and Neville and set off. He later puffed into Tidmouth, where Arthur was with a train of fish.

"Hello, tank engine. Are these my coaches?" asked Hiro.

"The name's Arthur. And yes, these are your coaches. Rosie just shunted them,"

Hiro puffed back to the shed to turn around. But when he got there, he was a tad disappointed.

"I thought some engines were here! Oh well, I'll see them later tonight." he thought.

Hiro turned around and was back at the station, being coupled up to the coaches.

"I haven't done this for years!" he thought happily. The guard blew his whistle and Hiro thundered out off the station. Hiro loved the experience.

The coaches certainly were impressed.

"He handles us well. He handles us well," they twittered.

Hiro made good time as he zoomed through Elsbridge, the junction to Thomas' Branch Line.

After an hour, Hiro puffed into Crovan's Gate, where he would be meeting Duke's train.

When the black tender engine puffed to the platform, Duke was surprised.

"Hiro! I never thought'd I would see you again after your visit in 1929," Duke said. Hiro looked over and saw his old friend.

"Well, I broke down until a tank engine named Thomas helped me out. It's good to be out and about again."

"I have a similiar backstory. I was sheeted in a shed for years until a search party found me and put me into good use, as you can see." The two engines chattered until it was time for Duke to go.

"See you, Hiro!" and he puffed away. Hiro chuckled; this was a great job, and he couldn't wait to go to Barrow-in-Furness for the first time.

Hiro soon set off and after an hour, made it into Barrow-in-Furness. A big class 40 was waiting on the other platform for the passengers.

"Who are you? Some kind of new engine?" Hiro smiled.

"Oh no. I'm visiting while Gordon's broken down,"

"Makes sense. That Pacific is very accident-prone." and the Diesel scurried away.

Hiro made excellent time on the return journey as well.

"Good job!" called the Fat Controller from the platform at Tidmouth later that day, "I think you matched Gordon's record!" Hiro smiled and got uncoupled.

That night, Hiro explained everything that happened to the other engines.

"You should replace Gordon." laughed Henry.

"Oh, Gordon can probably do better. At least he's used to pulling those coaches," retorted Billy, who was shunting some trucks nearby.

"Billy, this engine was the pride of his railway and he used to pull a famous express. Be nice!" said Emily.

"Yeah, whatever..." muttered Billy; he didn't like Hiro and he was a bit suspicious.

The next morning, Billy was talking to Duck about it.

"I just don't trust him. I wish Gordon would come back."

"Rubbish! He's a kind engine. Much more than Gordon too, I might add," retorted Duck.

"He's right Billy. Gordon sang to me that annoying song the day before his accident," Oliver snorted indignantly.

"What song?"

"Oliver's no use at all,

thinks he's very clever,

says that he can manage us.

That's the best joke ever!

When he orders us about,

with the greatest folly,

we'll just push him down the well...

Pop Goes Old Ollie! He, he, he!" giggled some trucks.

"_That _song..." muttered Oliver. Billy giggled as Oliver fumed away. Just then, Hiro puffed in to collect the morning express just as Billy bumped his trucks.

"Billy, I don't think you should bump those trucks. Where I come from, they're very kind and gentle. I respect all trucks and you should too," Billy was horrified.

"You trust trucks? What engine can trust trucks? They're practically the rascals of the entire railway. They'll always seize a chance to trick an engine."

"Nonsense. You just need to be kind," and Hiro puffed to the platform. Billy was cross.

"What a fusspot!" he grumbled. The guard blew his whistle and Billy set off for Brendam.

He continued to think of Hiro as he puffed along with his trucks.

"Hiro's an old fusspot!" he grumbled, "Fusspot! Fusspot!"

"Calm down, ol' boy," warned his driver, "Hiro just has his own ways of doing things." But Billy didn't listen.

Billy soon approached Gordon's Hill when he heard the trucks giggling.

"Quick! Lets pay him out for bumping us!" The trucks lurched at a coupling, and they lurched again and again until...

"It's snapped!" gasped Billy, who had felt the jerk. The trucks ran away down the hill and right into the runaway siding.

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" they cried, "Let's crash into something!" They smashed straight through the buffers. "That was fun!" chanted the trucks.

Hiro raced by the trucks and frowned.

"Oh dear. What happened?" He approached the hill and saw Billy backing down and looking embarrassed.

"I told you not to bump them." Billy sighed.

"I know, but I didn't trust you. I don't believe in your philosophy about trucks, but I guess part of it is true,"

"And what would that be?"

"Well, you're right about bumping trucks. You only bump them if it's necessary," said Billy, "I'm sorry I didn't trust you."

"That's alright," replied Hiro and he continued up and over Gordon's Hill.

From then on, Billy and Hiro were firm friends.

For the next few weeks, Hiro took Gordon's place on the Main Line, and the engines enjoyed his company. But one Friday, they saw a blue Pacific approach the shed.

"Oh... Now Hiro has to go..." groaned Billy.

"I thought you wanted Gordon to come back," chuckled Duck.

"That was before," retorted the orange tank engine.

Gordon looked over and saw Hiro.

"I didn't think _you _were the visitor!" gasped Gordon, then he frowned. "Now I missed your visit."

Hiro smiled kindly.

"Don't worry about that Gordon. You're just in time for my farewell!" and he tooted his whistle and everybody else followed.

The Fat Controller walked up and grinned.

"I thank you Hiro for your help. You are always welcome on Sodor,"

"I know sir, and I'm looking forward to my next visit," Hiro whistled loudly.

"Goodbye everyone!" he called and everybody blew their whistles and honked their horns in reply.

Hiro smiled and puffed off to Brendam Docks to go back to his homeland in Japan.


End file.
